


Home At Last

by SunflowerAro



Series: Familiar [3]
Category: Sonic the Hedgehog (2020), Sonic the Hedgehog - All Media Types
Genre: Fluff, Gen, Sonic finally goes to the island, Suspicion
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-12
Updated: 2020-04-12
Packaged: 2021-03-02 03:41:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,444
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23608534
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SunflowerAro/pseuds/SunflowerAro
Summary: Sonic finally returns to the island and meets the others.Tails never mentioned there was an echidna, though.
Series: Familiar [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1653865
Comments: 9
Kudos: 85





	Home At Last

Sonic shivered as a cool breeze tickled against his nose, pulling his blanket closer to his face and grumbling in protest. Another gust of air caressed his cheek and he growled, throwing the blankets aside and standing, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes as he looked around blearily for the culprit. He blinked as he noticed the window was wide open, crisp Autumn air pouring in as the panes shuddered in protest. He hadn’t left it open.

Sonic shivered as the air clung to his arms, stinging his muscles and biting down to the bone. He wrapped a blanket around his shoulders before turning to ask Tails _why_ exactly he had thought it necessary for them both to have a cold upon returning to the island when he froze.

Tails wasn’t there.

Sonic stepped closer, wincing as the icy floorboards burned into his feet. He pulled aside the blankets anxiously, but the fox was nowhere to be seen. Frantically, Sonic whipped around to search the room in hopes Tails had gotten a little nosy and was snooping, but he was alone.

“Where?” Sonic whispered to himself, concern swirling into his stomach like a fine mist.

He stepped up to the window, peering outside into the cool night air, drawing his blanket closer to stave of the chill. He ducked his head under the window pane to look further, squinting into the darkness and cursing the clouds hanging above him in thick groups.

He jumped at a sudden whirring noise, reeling back and covering his eyes with his hands as a portal opened and bright light filled the garden, a yellow glow illuminating the leaves underfoot as Tails stepped through, waving back before the portal closed. Relief seeped into his bones and his shoulders relaxed. Tails hadn't left him.

Sonic moved away from the window, sitting down on his bed as he waited for Tails to sneak back inside. He tapped his fingers on his thighs as he waited, ears perking up at the sounds of scuffling outside before a shadow emerged at the window. Tails crept inside, almost completely silent save the faint footfalls and the creaking of the window as he slid it back down.

Sonic cleared his throat as the window shut and Tails jumped, spinning around to face him with wide eyes.

“Sonic!” he said, placing a hand over his chest and taking in deep breaths. “You scared me.”

Sonic hummed faintly. “What were you doing?” he asked, determined to get straight to the point. 

Tails shoulders finally relaxed and he dropped back down into his mound of pillows and blankets, drawing one around his shoulders. “Well, I woke up earlier and I realised I never told Amy and Knuckles I was leaving. I went to let them know what was happening and that I was safe. Sorry if I worried you, though.” 

Ah, of course. It was probably better to let the other two know he would be returning rather than to show up out of the blue. Besides, it was easier if he wasn’t there when Tails broke the news to them that their beloved friend had lost his memories of them.

“What did they say?” Sonic asked, tilting his head. Were they excited, or mad at him for forgetting, for disappearing for however long.

Tails smiled brightly at him. “They’re ecstatic! Knuckles wants to bake you some muffins and Amy plans to clean up a little before we arrive.”

Sonic shifted nervously, running his fingers along the edge of the blanket and avoiding Tails’ eyes as he asked, “do you think they’ll like me?”

Tails tilted his head, quirking an eyebrow. “I know they do, don’t worry.”

“But…won’t they be mad that I forgot about them?”

Tails pursed his lips. “Upset? Sure. But I already explained the situation to them and they understand. Besides, it’s not your fault.”

Sonic clutched the blanket tighter. “Are you sure?”

Tails only smiled at him. “Go to sleep, Sonic. Don’t worry so much.”

He rolled over before Sonic could protest, before he could ask any more questions and Sonic sighed, falling back onto the mattress. He could only hope Tails was right.

*

The air was crisp as they stepped outside, the early morning sun filtering through the pine trees and down onto the porch. Sonic shivered in the morning chill, drawing his jacket closer. Regardless of his fur, winters on this world could be _cold_. 

They paused on the deck so Sonic could give Maddie and Tom hugs once more, wiping at his burning eyes with a grin as he took in their forms, memorising every detail—Maddie’s warm smiles and Tom’s soft eyes. 

“You’ve got your water bottle?” Maddie asked before he could go, reaching out to unzip his backpack for the umpteenth time.

Sonic took her hand before she could, moving it back down away from his bag and holding it there with both of his own. “Yes, Maddie. I’ve got everything and if I did forget I can zip back, okay?” He gestured to the bag of rings poking out of the front pocket of his backpack. 

She pursed her lips regardless, eyes shining with worry. “Alright. Be careful, sweetie.”

Sonic smiled, squeezing her hand before he let it go. “Of course, I will. I’ll come back and visit in a couple days,” he promised. 

Tom placed a hand on his shoulder, kneeling down beside him. “You better, kiddo. We’re both holding you to that,” he said lightly, even if his eyebrows were furrowed with concern. 

Sonic nodded. “Tails won’t let me forget, will you, bud?”

Tails chuckled, before straightening under his two guardians’ eyes. “I’ll get him back safe and sound, promise!”

They both smiled and moved back, standing side by side, hand in hand as they watch the two boys leave. Maddie smiled and waved when Sonic looked back, leaning against the railing on the deck as she watched him go. 

“We’ll leave by the back gate, but the portal will leave us a couple hours walk away from the others.”

Sonic frowned. “Shouldn’t it drop us where we want it?”

Tails shook his head. “Those rings are rare, so I’ll save them.”

Sonic nodded thoughtfully, looking down at the brown leaves crunching under his shoes as he thought of the bag of golden rings in his backpack. How had Longclaw gotten her hands on so many of them?

He tutted, shaking his head: it didn’t matter now, not when Tails was plucking a ring out from the satchel at his side. True to his word, the ring was silver, swirls of gold intricately detailing the edges and sparkling in the sunlight like snowflakes.

Sonic straightened behind him, watching as Tails closed his eyes, whispering into his closed hand before throwing the ring forward. 

Autumnal leaves flew into the sky as the portal grew, the force behind it enough to pick them up and swirl them like a tornado. Sonic squinted as the leaves brushed against his face, raising his hands to protect his eyes from the wind until it settled back down. He lowered his arms, nodding at Tails before they both stepped forward, Tails moving through the portal first to wait for him on the other side.

Sonic cast a look back at his guardians, waving at them with a wistful smile before he resolutely turned back to the portal with burning eyes. He could do this. It was only a few days away from them, and he had Tails with him.

He stepped through.

The change was immediate: humidity clung to his frame, the afternoon sun forcing him to pull his jacket off quickly before he began to sweat, stuffing it away in his bag; bugs and birds alike chirped in a loud cacophony in the vibrant forest around him, emerald green encompassing his vision; the thick scent of hibiscus perfumed the trail. Faintly, he could hear the crashing of waves against the shore. 

Sonic closed his eyes and took a deep breath of the fresh air in before promptly sneezing. He groaned rubbing his nose and glaring at the peach-coloured flowers lining the sandy trail. 

Tails chuckled from beside him. “Sorry, I would have chosen a better path, but this one was closest. I should have warned you about the flowers before we left.”

Sonic sniffled, but shook his head. “I’ll be fine, let’s just hurry up.”

The flowers thinned the farther they walked, much to Sonic’s relief: he hadn’t sneezed this much since Spring. A thick canopy of palm leaves prevented all but a few filtered streams of sunlight from burning their necks, and the two of them stopped fanning their faces with appreciative sighs.

Sonic cleared his throat once he felt as though he could breathe easily, without his nose tingling in warning. “So, what’s with the time difference?”

Tails hummed curiously, raising his head to look at Sonic from where he had been watching the forest. “Well, we are in a different world.”

Sonic blushed despite himself, looking down as he rubbed the back of his neck. “I mean, every time I’ve switched worlds the time is relatively the same.”

Sure, he hadn’t been to a significant number of worlds, but he had been relying on this one consistency when stepping through the portal. The only consistency he had found when forced to run. It seemed he still had a lot to learn about hopping worlds.

Tails frowned in contemplation. “You haven’t visited many worlds, I take it?”

Sonic paused, turning to Tails. “How many are there?”

Tails smiled. “More than you could ever imagine.”

*

As the sun sank underneath the horizon, leaving streaks of yellow and orange in its wake, the forest began to thin. Cicadas had begun their nightly thrum, chirping louder than the waves crashing not far to their left through a copse of trees. And, oddly enough, Sonic could hear the faint chorus of wind chimes.

A worn cottage came into view, an old-fashioned tower rising high from its side with a pointed roof, a balcony peeking out if Sonic leaned far enough. Ivy coated the worn stones, reaching up as though they wished to touch the stars above, blooms speckling the vines like stars bursting into life. 

The cottage itself was made of cedar wood, with a wraparound porch and a sand-covered staircase leading to the door. Sonic followed Tails up the steps, curiosity rising in his chest at the too familiar creaks in each step. 

The porch had several cushy chairs surrounding a round table, an aloe vera bursting out from its pot atop the wood. More plants hung from hooks on the roof, their leaves dripping with water as though they had been watered recently. The wind picked up and Sonic turned as the chimes sang a euphony from their places in between the plants. 

“Why do you guys have so many wind chimes?” Sonic asked, smiling to himself as he untangled one of the less fortunate chimes, nodding when it began to sing happily for him once freed.

“They were yours, actually,” Tails said from his place at the door. Sonic turned to him at that, eyes wide. “They’re kind of sentimental at this point, and we couldn’t bear for the place to be so quiet when you…” Tails scrunched his face up, then shook his head with a forced smile. “Let’s go inside. The others are waiting.”

Sonic rushed to follow him inside, the wind chimes now humming eerily behind him before the door muffled their noise. 

The house was silent.

“Guys?” Tails called out, waiting for any reply and frowning when none came. 

Tails frowned. “They might be out. I didn’t give them an exact time for when we would arrive.” Still, his eyes shone with concern. 

“Oh! I’ll show you to your room. Amy insisted on tidying it up a bit.”

Sonic nodded, following Tails when the fox gestured for him to move farther into the house. The area was open, with two bedrooms at the back of the house, a kitchen to the right and a cosy living room to the left, an unlit fireplace in front of a leaf-patterned rug. Behind what he presumed was the bathroom, a staircase led up to a loft, though all Sonic could see were the railings.

Tails led him to the room on the left, hesitating with his hand on the doorknob and casting a look back at Sonic. His eyes steeled before he twisted the knob, pushing the door open and sweeping Sonic into the room. 

Sonic’s eyes widened as he took in the space— _his_ space. Weaved balls of light hung from the ceiling, casting a soft golden glow upon the area. They all reached up to the centre of the room, where hooks for a hammock had been drilled into the ceiling—and Sonic almost squealed with delight when he saw the hammock, plush pillows and impossibly soft blankets piled into it for him to sleep on. To his left, a window stretched out wide along the wall, exposing the ocean for him and the sandy beaches freckled with shells. Turning, he grinned as he noticed a pile of comics stacked neatly in the corner accompanied by a beanbag, placing his backpack down beside them. 

“Amy kept the plants alive while you were gone,” Tails said, bringing him out of his daze of utter delight. 

Sonic squinted in the dimly lit room, noticing a tiered stand bursting with succulents, the ones on the top reaching down to the floor. Something inside him sparked with mirth at the sight of _his_ plants, recognising them as his own even if he couldn’t for the life of him recall potting them, couldn’t recall watering them meticulously even if a part of him knew he had. 

“I…feel like I remember this place,” Sonic whispered, afraid that if he spoke too loud the illusion would shatter and he would wake. 

Tails hummed brightly. “We haven’t moved anything, except when Amy cleaned up a little earlier. We hoped it would bring back something…”

Sonic turned to him with knitted brows, sparing another glace around the room. “It doesn’t,” he said, looking down, wrapping an arm around his waist. “I’m sorry.”

Tails sighed wearily, but shook his head. “It’s okay. We can try something else.”

“Tails!” Sonic jumped at the voice, as high and stern as it was.

Tails’ eyes brightened considerably however, and he moved back into the main room, seemingly unaware of Sonic’s anxious tension as he followed at a significantly slower pace. 

Tails was chatting excitedly with the two others blurs, Pink and Red—no, Amy and Knuckles, Tails had told him.

Amy—Pink—turned to look at him as he left his room and her eyes widened. She had him in her arms before he could blink, holding him tightly as tears ran down her cheeks and into his fur. 

Tears he couldn’t reciprocate, regardless of that fact that he had _known_ her, could feel that he had. 

She pulled back, hope shining in her eyes and Sonic smiled wanly. 

“I’m so glad you’re okay,” she whispered, dipping her head back into the crook of his shoulder once more, squeezing tightly.

“Hey, it’s my turn!” A voice significantly deeper, almost gravelly, sounded out and Sonic looked up at Knuckles—Red—before he shrunk back reflexively.

An echidna. Tails had brought him to an echidna.

Amy pulled back, brushing her skirt down neatly with a watery smile, and Knuckles was quick to replace her, pulling him into a strong, one-armed hug. Sonic squirmed, trying to free himself but to no avail. 

“I missed you, bro!” Knuckles said, a broad grin on his face. 

“I…” What could he say? He _had_ missed them, but not in the same way they had missed him. He had yearned to be reunited with the formless blobs in his dreams, not…not an echidna. 

Had Tails set him up?

“Oh! We should start preparing dinner!” Amy called out to Knuckles, brandishing a basket filled with carrots, onions and potatoes. 

Knuckles pulled back finally—Sonic took a good few steps away from him—and raced over to his own discarded basket. 

“Good idea! Can you put the extras away while I start cooking?” 

Amy nodded, bouncing along behind him to the kitchen, leaving a stunned Sonic behind. 

Sonic shook himself, stepping lightly over to Tails so as not to alert them and clearing his throat. “Can I talk to you outside?”

Tails shot him a curious look, torn between staying and helping and learning what ailed Sonic. Tails nodded, calling out to the others that they would be back before he drifted outside, Sonic at his heels. 

The moment the door was closed, Sonic pulled in front, leading Tails out onto the beach, away from the prying ears of Amy and Knuckles. He paused, spinning around on the shifting sand to face the fox with narrowed eyes.

“You didn’t tell me there was an echidna,” he said accusingly, pointing a finger at Tails’ chest.

Tails tilted his head quizzically. “Is…that a problem?”

Sonic blew out a breath, turning to face the lull of the ocean, watching as waves bubbled on the sand. “Of course, it is! Don’t you know what echidnas are like? They’re horrid.” He sighed as the flames licking at his chest were snuffed out, bringing his arms up to wrap around himself. 

Tails made a concerned noise, moving closer only to pause when Sonic shifted away. “Sonic…he’s here because of _you_.”

Sonic froze, turning to face his friend slowly. “I—what?”

Tails scrunched his face up, kicking at the sand and avoiding Sonic’s gaze. “Look, it’s not my story to tell. That’s Knuckles’ decision. But, it was only the three of us when you brought Knuckles back. We were sceptical at first, but he’s one of us now. I promise he’s not like…” Tails trailed off, and Sonic nodded slowly. 

He must have told Tails about the incident, then; the thought made his stomach churn uncomfortably. Sonic bit his lip, but if Tails was telling the truth and he really had brought Knuckles here, then he must have had a reason to do so.

Still, it couldn’t hurt to be wary.

“Alright,” Sonic breathed, turning back to Tails with as much of a smile as he could muster. Tails beamed at him, grabbing his hand and pulling him back towards the house.

“Come on, dinner should be ready, soon. Knuckles is the best cook,” Tails said brightly, and Sonic couldn’t help but smile at the contagious energy. 

*

Sonic had headed to bed not long after dinner, claiming to be exhausted after the trip, and still adjusting to a new space. It had been a half truth, considering the hopeful glances both Amy and Knuckles—and occasionally, Tails—sent him throughout the night were beginning to put him on edge. He wished he could fall back into what they wanted him to be, wished he could just _remember_. But he couldn’t. No matter how hard he tried, how hard he strained for a glimpse of his past here, it was like trying to carry water in his hands. As soon as something came up, a feeling, or an image, it slipped through his grasp and he was left with the droplets of what could have been.

He shut the door behind him with a weary sigh, leaning against it with closed eyes as the glow of the bulbs above him danced across his eyes, too bright. He rubbed his eyes and shook his head, flicking the lights off and sighing in relief as darkness fell across the room. He drifted over to the window, opening it slightly to alleviate the stifling silence of the room, nodding to himself when the crashing of waves outside filled his ears. 

He pulled his shoes off and crawled into the hammock, letting out a content hum as the thick blankets underneath him prevented the hammock from digging into his skin, as the pillows cushioned him comfortingly. He drew one of the blankets over himself as the chilly air drifted in through the open window, filling his room with the scent of salt. He found he couldn’t complain, the smell as comforting as it was familiar, even if he couldn’t recall the last time he had been near the ocean for longer than a minute. Sleep was quick to envelop him in its warm arms, caressing his eyelids until they fluttered shut.

He could only hope Tails was right, that this hadn’t been a mistake and that Knuckles wouldn’t betray them. He couldn’t lose everything again.

**Author's Note:**

> A quick update this time. Hope everyone enjoyed! Next time is where things will start to get fun :)  
> Thanks for reading <3


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